There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
on June 26, 2016
I don't usually write reviews, but I couldn't resist. Somebody complained that he thought he was "buying a book and only got 60 pages for $2.99.." This person must buy his reading material by the pound. He'd rather have 300 pages of crap for his $2.99 than 60 pages of golden prose by one of America's finest word smiths - Lawrence Block. Perhaps he doesn't understand what a "novella" is. It is plainly stated in the description, and on the cover of "Resume Speed" that it is a novella. The very definition of a novella is a piece that is longer than a short story, shorter than a full novel. Let me tell you and him - ANYTHING written by Lawrence Block is really priceless. And we are privileged to be able to buy his work at such a pittance. This complainer is either the world's greatest skin flint, or he should stick to James Patterson.
on March 13, 2016
Lawrence Block is a master of the carefully-plotted crime story, among many other good things. His Scudder and Rhodenbarr novels are full of complex details and deviant surprises. A sprightly humour is also evident in these stories. The Keller books are an absolute delight, written as they are with a keen sense of the macabre that is clothed in the quotidian ( a word that a character in one of the Keller stories actually uses ). I don't read too many crime novels, but Block is a delightful exception. This book, "Resume Speed", is written in a manner that is rather different from his usual approach. The settings, characters and events are all quintessential Block. In fact the opening of the story reminded me of the very first Keller story in which one of Keller's preoccupations is finding a small town in America where he could live and be happy, far from the big city. But then, as we proceed into the heart of the tale, we begin to detect a difference. This is a story that hides something very central and then ends the story without revealing it explicitly. That technique is actually rather powerful as a fictional device. Block uses indirection, or subtext, perhaps, to create a mood or an atmosphere in which the things that are unsaid, that the reader guesses at, form the crux of the story. This creates a fictional world that is in some ways parallel to real life, where the stories are almost always an invention, or a series of inventions that are placed on the scaffolding of a life that is really without beginning or end. Most fiction has its appeal through the people and events in the contrived world that it creates, which certainly has a correspondence to the real one, but nevertheless, is artifice. In this short novel, Block has begun to dispense with artifice and is beginning to play with reality in a more direct way than he has done before. I am eager to see where this leads. "Resume Speed" is a story that could happen to you or me, or the people we know. It begins with the an ancient trope -- the man on the run, from somewhere, someone or something. And it leads to something unexpected. Like his central character, Block too is perhaps engaged in a departure -- but a writer's departure in this case, a departure from his usual style. I recommend this story very highly to readers of Block's previous books. But for those unfamiliar with his writing, I probably would not suggest this as a starting point. In summary, this short book is very well done, and a fine work from a brilliant writer.
on October 15, 2016
I’ve been reading Lawrence Block’s books for over 30 years now, and this novella is a compact masterclass illustrating why. The basic concept is a well-worn one in crime fiction – drifter with a dark, mysterious past tries a fresh start on life in a new town, but his past catches up with him. But it's how you tell it, and Block tells it so well, with the crisp economical narrative style and dialogue typical of his work, and brilliant pacing. As Bill Thompson settles in Cross Creek, Montana, the tension builds not from what he does so much as the slow reveal of what he’s done and what he’s trying to avoid doing again. It’s gripping, page-turning stuff, and deeper than it appears at first glance. Resume Speed is a miniature character study of how humans sometimes seek redemption and a second chance, but just can’t seem to attain it – even when it’s placed right in front of them – because they’re running away from their own guilt over transgressions real and imagined. All that and a cracking good story in 21,000 words.
on August 6, 2016
Lawrence Block returns with a novella of “slow burn” psychological suspense. It begins with Bill Thompson boarding a bus in the night, blood and scratches on his arms, running away from an event he does not clearly remember from the night before. The story follows him for several months as he attempts to put together the pieces of his life in a new town. Most of the narrative concerns itself with how he makes new human connections, finds companionship, and begins to build a new future for himself.
It is a testament to Block’s craft, superb characterization, and thrifty dialog that he maintains building tension in a tale with no violence or action. Block teases out the dark and terrifying backstory slowly until the surprising conclusion.
I could easily give five stars, but my one complaint is that it felt derivative of Donald Westlake’s novel Memory. The whole time I was reading I kept thinking how similar the characters and situations seemed, and that detracted from my experience.
It is a testament to Block’s craft, superb characterization, and thrifty dialog that he maintains building tension in a tale with no violence or action. Block teases out the dark and terrifying backstory slowly until the surprising conclusion.
I could easily give five stars, but my one complaint is that it felt derivative of Donald Westlake’s novel Memory. The whole time I was reading I kept thinking how similar the characters and situations seemed, and that detracted from my experience.
on February 25, 2016
As an unabashed Block fan, I jumped on this. Anything, actually, since I'm hungry for a new Keller/Scudder/Bernie, etc. book. This short novella does not disappoint. There's always a darker undercurrent to what LB writes, and this seemingly inocuous story unfolds slowly, hinting at, but not revealing the darkness underneath. I always marvel at the humor, too, of even the most serious entries, and of course, if you want to know how to write dialogue, read this (or any Block).
Buy it!
Buy it!
on March 16, 2017
The story held my attention from the first page to the last. The main character was interesting and mysterious. The pace of the story, in my opinion, was the best part; unlike other short stories where the pace seems to drag on or the timing feels rushed. The ending ,however, left me with a few unanswered questions. I am not going to spoil the story, so I will leave it up to the reader to find out for themselves if they have the same questions that I was left with.
on March 5, 2016
Loved this Kindle single,it again reminded me why Larry is one of my favorite authors. Whether you hate or love his characters you do know who they are and are left with an understanding of why they are alive in print ( or Pixels) and you can't help wondering about the parts of yourself in these characters.(cheaper than therapy). One begins to think Larry had a past life as a therapist, being able to communicate that in his writing. I have learned from reading most all his books,that there's more there than meets the eye, or one of us needs therapy. Thanks for a great read.
on June 22, 2016
I really enjoyed this book about a man with a life going wrong who seems to have everything go his way. His only enemy being himself and that is a difficult foe to overcome. While Bill Thompson lacks the charm of Block's long standing alcoholic Matthew Scudder, I still enjoyed him and you could tell his story could have had much more.
on December 10, 2016
Lawrence Block is a consistently engrossing writer, and Resume Speed proves he has not lost a step in the decades he's been writing. It is a simple story read trough Block's unique lens that provides a wholly satisfying experience well worth your time.
